Scott Olsen the 24 year old a former US Marine, Iraq War veteran, and a member of Veterans for Peace, suffered minor brain damage resulting from the police clampdown on the Occupy Oakland protest site. Olsen suffered a skull fracture caused by a projectile that witnesses believed was a tear gas or smoke canister fired by the police. Olsen is unable to speak, and only able to communicate with his family by writing notes filled with spelling errors. The police raid in the early hours of the morning on the Occupy Oakland site was described as violent and chaotic resulting in over 102 arrests. A so-called bean bag round projectile was found near where Olsen fell, he was subsequently rushed to hospital by other protesters, who were also shot at by police with projectiles when attempting to aid him.


Inspired by Will Oremus image source Kathy Pacconi